Aggressive street drinkers are ‘ruining Cambridge’s reputation’

A language school teacher says the number of drunks aggressively begging for money is out of control and tarnishing Cambridge’s reputation.

John Walker said street drinkers are deliberately targeting vulnerable foreign students, who are so scared they hand over money to get the beggars to leave them alone.

The 70-year-old said they camp outside the city’s language schools and harass passers-by for cash and cigarettes - and also urinate on the buildings.

On one occasion they stormed into St Benet’s Church during a lesson for newly-arrived teenagers on the city’s history to prise cash out of them, Mr Walker said.

He added: “They are very aggressive and are forcing students into giving them cigarettes and money. Schools and shops are having clean off the urine they leave on the walls.

“We have been onto the police until we are blue in the face but do not seem to be that interested.”

He added: “Students who have come from places like Paris and Berlin are used to it, but we have kids from small villages in Austria and it’s very intimidating for them.

“It’s not what people expect of Cambridge and it’s not a good advert for the city. They go home and tell people around the world what they have seen.”

He said it was affecting most of the language schools in the area, but everyone in the city was paying the price.

Brian Holman, of Cambridge Cyrenians, a charity which provides accommodation for the city’s homeless, said: “We know of at least two individuals who have the language schools along Station Road as their stomping ground

“They are seeking out the students for money but they are not new faces and we believe there has not been a rise in their numbers.”

He said the good weather may have seen more street drinkers, of which there is a hardcore of four or five asking for money, come into contact with the students.

But not all students were having problems with the street drinkers.

A group of Chinese students have apparently taken a shining to 49-year-old Anthony Cockfield, who is the subject of an ASBO he has breached at least 20 times banning him from drinking or carrying alcohol in the city.

Mr Holman said: “A group of Chinese students have befriended a rough sleeper.

“It was drawn to our attention and we do not think it’s a good idea. They are seeking him out and hanging around with him.

He said he did not know what the students get out of it, or what Mr Cockfield gets out of it, and added: “A member of our staff has met with them and told them maybe they should make friends with people of their own age.”

A police spokesman said they had no record of receiving reports from Mr Walker, but said they take the issue seriously and have patrols targeting street drinkers harassing people.